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1105 S. Tracy Bozeman, Kontana 59715 February 11, 197^
Mr. Arthur Shelden
Chairman, Conmittee on Natural Resources
House of Representatives
Helena, Montana
Representative Shelden and members of the Committee on Natural Resources:
I am appearing in support of H.B. »75, but since this decision was not easy for me I wish to explain how I arrived at it.
As a boy I just happened to grow up around people who considered land ownership to be a privilege, not a right. This v/as before the day when "land stexs^ardship" had become a popular cliche. Vihen I was a young man I had the privilege of working on a Montana ranch over on the Boulder. Among the important things I learned was that there were two kinds of ranchers. There were those who worked with the thoup-ht of passing the ranch on to their children. And then there were those whose life style consisted of buyin? a ranch, mining it for a few years and moving on. I suppose the moral of this is that it sharpens your vision of the future to know and love the person who will have your land when you are gone.
That ranch experience seems a long time ago to me now. 1oday we are a much more crowded nation. Land is suddenly terribly precious, V/hat we as individuals do to it has much farther reaching conse¬ quences for the public than it used to.
I am quite aware that H.B. B75f thoue-h aimed at a specific land problem, will, if passed, become a precedent for further limita¬ tions on private property riehts. In supporting the bill I wish there was no conflict between my idealism and the pra.s:matic side of my make up. Ky idealism shrinJcs a little from another proposal to erode another increment of my personal freedom and put it in the hands of the state.
Ky pragmatic side notes the truth of subdivisions. They are blotting up Montana land mainly because it is there and can be had. They are growing like a cancer on some of our best agricultural land, our most scenic areas, areas of primary resources. They are growing without regard to long range public values. They are growing without concern for the fact that they often wastefully and unnecessarily compound the resource shorta^-es that are facing us today and will deepen tomorrow - energy, food, metals, fiber, as well as land and open space. For the first time in Am.erican history we simply must ask such questions as, "Is a second home necessary or is one home per family enoup-h?"
The pragmatic side of me also notes that while wisdom is not yet wholly concentrated in the state, by and large there is a persistant

Collection includes minutes of the House Special Committee on Gambling, Wild River Bill (HB 133), and Scenic Rivers; Senate Special Committee on Gambling, Apportionment, and Executive Reorganization; minutes and reports of House and Senate standing committees; bills and resolutions; journals and status reports of the first and special sessions, interim session, and second regular session. The collection also contains miscellany material including a sponsor list and the Senate Democratic Caucus minutes (re SB 665 [Circuit Breaker] property tax relief bill; SB 264 regarding homestead exemption; SB 266 and SB 248 regarding personal property tax relief; SJR 45 limiting the rate of taxation of real and personal property; SB 27 regarding codification and general revision of the laws relating to the Department of Labor and Industry; HB 699 regarding new limit for general fund budget increases on operation and maintenance of a public school; SB 532 regarding appropriations to Warm Springs; HB 147 requiring that the Department of Revenue be informed of sale price of all properties with the exception of agricultural land; HB 632 requiring an economic impact statement for certain proposed legislation; SB 226 and HB 221 to be combined as a tax package to replace the "Circuit Breaker" bill; HB 305 ["Veteran's Bonus Bill"] to provide $2,500,000 for Montana's Vietnam veterans; SB 696 to create a coal tax account in the trust and legacy fund; SB 614 regarding financing the vocational technology school in Missoula; SB 266 to exempt household goods and personal property from taxation; HB 166, 509, and 517 regarding coal taxation; disallowing appropriations out of the general fund for the Labor Relations Board and thus keeping to the long-range building program; HB 221 to raise income tax exemption; and SB 696 regarding coal taxation). (Legislative Record 43)

Collection includes minutes of the House Special Committee on Gambling, Wild River Bill (HB 133), and Scenic Rivers; Senate Special Committee on Gambling, Apportionment, and Executive Reorganization; minutes and reports of House and Senate standing committees; bills and resolutions; journals and status reports of the first and special sessions, interim session, and second regular session. The collection also contains miscellany material including a sponsor list and the Senate Democratic Caucus minutes (re SB 665 [Circuit Breaker] property tax relief bill; SB 264 regarding homestead exemption; SB 266 and SB 248 regarding personal property tax relief; SJR 45 limiting the rate of taxation of real and personal property; SB 27 regarding codification and general revision of the laws relating to the Department of Labor and Industry; HB 699 regarding new limit for general fund budget increases on operation and maintenance of a public school; SB 532 regarding appropriations to Warm Springs; HB 147 requiring that the Department of Revenue be informed of sale price of all properties with the exception of agricultural land; HB 632 requiring an economic impact statement for certain proposed legislation; SB 226 and HB 221 to be combined as a tax package to replace the "Circuit Breaker" bill; HB 305 ["Veteran's Bonus Bill"] to provide $2,500,000 for Montana's Vietnam veterans; SB 696 to create a coal tax account in the trust and legacy fund; SB 614 regarding financing the vocational technology school in Missoula; SB 266 to exempt household goods and personal property from taxation; HB 166, 509, and 517 regarding coal taxation; disallowing appropriations out of the general fund for the Labor Relations Board and thus keeping to the long-range building program; HB 221 to raise income tax exemption; and SB 696 regarding coal taxation). (Legislative Record 43)

1105 S. Tracy Bozeman, Kontana 59715 February 11, 197^
Mr. Arthur Shelden
Chairman, Conmittee on Natural Resources
House of Representatives
Helena, Montana
Representative Shelden and members of the Committee on Natural Resources:
I am appearing in support of H.B. »75, but since this decision was not easy for me I wish to explain how I arrived at it.
As a boy I just happened to grow up around people who considered land ownership to be a privilege, not a right. This v/as before the day when "land stexs^ardship" had become a popular cliche. Vihen I was a young man I had the privilege of working on a Montana ranch over on the Boulder. Among the important things I learned was that there were two kinds of ranchers. There were those who worked with the thoup-ht of passing the ranch on to their children. And then there were those whose life style consisted of buyin? a ranch, mining it for a few years and moving on. I suppose the moral of this is that it sharpens your vision of the future to know and love the person who will have your land when you are gone.
That ranch experience seems a long time ago to me now. 1oday we are a much more crowded nation. Land is suddenly terribly precious, V/hat we as individuals do to it has much farther reaching conse¬ quences for the public than it used to.
I am quite aware that H.B. B75f thoue-h aimed at a specific land problem, will, if passed, become a precedent for further limita¬ tions on private property riehts. In supporting the bill I wish there was no conflict between my idealism and the pra.s:matic side of my make up. Ky idealism shrinJcs a little from another proposal to erode another increment of my personal freedom and put it in the hands of the state.
Ky pragmatic side notes the truth of subdivisions. They are blotting up Montana land mainly because it is there and can be had. They are growing like a cancer on some of our best agricultural land, our most scenic areas, areas of primary resources. They are growing without regard to long range public values. They are growing without concern for the fact that they often wastefully and unnecessarily compound the resource shorta^-es that are facing us today and will deepen tomorrow - energy, food, metals, fiber, as well as land and open space. For the first time in Am.erican history we simply must ask such questions as, "Is a second home necessary or is one home per family enoup-h?"
The pragmatic side of me also notes that while wisdom is not yet wholly concentrated in the state, by and large there is a persistant